Philippines: Italian gov't-assisted projects in Albay amount to P26 million

Legazpi City (11 November) -- The
Italian government has infused around P26 million for various projects
in the province of Albay as part of their assistance to the devastation
wrought by Typhoon Reming in 2006.

Started in October 2007, the Italian
cooperation program was able to build around 180 houses for the displaced
families in the municipalities of Camalig and Guinobatan in Albay.

The total cost for the construction of
the housing units iamounted to P14 million.

Aside from permanent shelter for the
displaced families the program also constructed two livelihood centers
amounting to P792,000 in the resettlement areas of Barangay Tagaytay, Camalig
and Quitago in Guinobatan.

Sergio Quattrocchi, Italian cooperation
project coordinator, said the two livelihood centers are equipped with
different sewing machines to be utilized by 48 organized women associations.
The associations were also provided with raw materials and tools for the
production of various handicrafts and other products made of cotton and
raffia.

Quattrocchi said the livelihood centers
seek to revitalize unemployed women in the resettlement areas and to help
improve their living after the devastation of Typhoon Reming.

For those In the agriculture sector,
the Italian cooperation program provided assistance to coconut farmers
and fisherfolk.

Quattrocchi said for the past months
the Italian government provided 80,000 coconut seedlings for replanting
in the municipalities of Camalig and Polangui, and the cities of Legazpi
and Ligao. "Another 10,000 seed nuts has been turned over to Ligao
City coconut nursery as additional augmentation."

Aside from these, around 190 fisherfolk
in the municipalities of Rapu-Rapu, Sto. Domingo and Manito were the beneficiaries
of fishing boats including nets and other fishing materials. "The
total cost of assistance to the fisherfolk amounted to P2 million."

"Our cooperation projects in the
province of Albay is about to end this year and we will still provide help
to the people of Albay in the future," Quattrocchi assured. (MDR,
PNA)